How did Alisaie know? [Before the Fall]

[Nalien]

To quote Tataru:

"Anyway, after Yugiri found me, we traveled to Vesper Bay and met up with Urianger. When we told him what happened, he used his magicks to weave a glamour around the Waking Sands."

So, yeah, I don't think that's quite right...Urianger didn't cast the glamour until after the fact.

Well, remember that Tataru and Yugiri were already in Coerthas when we arrived. It is reasonable then, to assume that the work was going on to apprehend the remaining Scions before the banquet. Yugiri and Tataru likely arrived in Vesper Bay in time to inform Urianger (and thus Alisaie) before or during the events at the banquet. The alternative is that the Scions were being apprehended at the same time Tataru was being chased, and Yugiri and Tataru traveled from Limsa, to Vesper Bay, then to Coerthas, in the moments we were making our escape... While we were using our own personal taxi service (the Enterprise)... I don't think that journey would be possible, I think they got to Vesper Bay in time to tip Urianger/Alisaie off to what was going on and that's why Alisaie was able to send help.

[Alisa180]

From what I can remember, Alisaie had two bodyguards with her when she and Alphinaud were discussing the speeches the Grand Company leaders gave in regards to the anniversary of Carteneau. Perhaps she has her own band of informants to keep her in the loop, or perhaps Riol got in contact with her.

Riol *might* have gotten in contact with her, but there's absolutely no indication of such.

One of the main issues is one of timing. The time between the sultana being poisoned, and the character emerging from the tunnels, is a few hours at the most. In order for the merchant to show when he did, he needed pretty good forewarning, depending on the in-universe travel time between Vesper Bay and Ul'dah. Possibly before the poisoning even occurred.
But that also throws a wrench into the possibility someone in the GC's knew and informed Alisaie. After all, wouldn't they have *also* alerted the Scions if they had that much forewarning?

Well, remember that Tataru and Yugiri were already in Coerthas when we arrived. It is reasonable then, to assume that the work was going on to apprehend the remaining Scions before the banquet. Yugiri and Tataru likely arrived in Vesper Bay in time to inform Urianger (and thus Alisaie) before or during the events at the banquet. The alternative is that the Scions were being apprehended at the same time Tataru was being chased, and Yugiri and Tataru traveled from Limsa, to Vesper Bay, then to Coerthas, in the moments we were making our escape...

The latter was sort of my assumption. Remember, there was a good deal of travel time after we emerged from the tunnels. First, the merchant delivered us to Black Brush Station. Then Cid flew us all the way to Coerthas. I had assumed while we were escaping, Tataru and the others were also attacked. And then while we traveled first to Black Brush, then Coerthas, Tataru and Yugiri hit Vesper Bay before moving on themselves.

While they beat us there, it honestly didn't seem like it was by much. (Teleportation is a thing, so even just by porting to Revenant's Toll beating the Enterprise to Coerthas isn't that far-fetched. Even more so if Tataru actually attuned to the Camp Dragonhead aetheryte at some point. I'm assuming Yugiri attunned to it since she was in Coerthas during Dreams of Ice.)

And I also think it's odd *no one*, sans the merchant, mentioned her during the events. I would think Tataru informing Alisaie of what was happening would at least warrant a passing mention.